Mailbag: Is more gun control needed?

April 18, 2013

In response to Marsha Bianchi's letter, "Times have changed since the 2nd Amendment," published in your April 12 edition:

Bianchi tries to make a couple of points, the first being very dangerous. She is correct when she says times have changed since the 2nd Amendment was written. The same holds true for all the amendments in the Bill of Rights.

Should the 1st Amendment be looked at as a revenue enhancer for the state, as Bianchi would have new rules regulating the 2nd Amendment do? Does regulating include having to "divulge the existence of everybody in your home who might possibly get their hands on your gun?" Like who, your wife or husband?

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Does she, or anyone, really, believe taxing gun ownership (that's what it would be) would make gun owners more responsible? She makes my point, while trying to make hers, by comparing regulating guns to car "regulation." She says, "Well, plenty of people drive around on suspended licenses, in unregistered cars and with no insurance. Should we just throw up our hands and stop regulating cars too?"

Why not? What does the Department of Motor Vehicles really do? It makes sure when you're 16, or there about, you can drive a car and know some basic rules of the road.

After that you don't have to step foot in a DMV office for 15 years as long as you send in your $33 every five years. After that you update your picture and take an eye test, then 15 more years more of sending in $33. We also pay a hefty car registration each and every year. Our roads are great aren't they?

There is no assurance that anybody who has a driver's license, or as Bianchi says is "regulated," is fit to drive or has a car that is even road worthy. She is correct that plenty of people have little or no regard for these laws because only the law abiders pay attention. The others, if caught, are issued expensive tickets that they simply ignore. But hey, it's a great revenue source for our state, as would gun regulation be.

The responsible people who own and respect firearms are law abiding. The other people who have guns will simply ignore the new laws and regulations as they do all the others. Bianchi may want to investigate what laws are already on the books regarding guns and ask why these aren't being enforced before coming up with new ones that also won't be.